eGigs talks to Newton Faulkner

at the 02 Academy in Birmingham on Tuesday 23 October 2012

Having got lost on the way to the 02 in Birmingham which is unbelievable since I have been so many times, I made my way backstage to meet Newton Faulkner who is currently on his 'Write It On Your Skin' album Tour. I sat quietly on a chair outside of his dressing room before heading inside to meet the man himself who greeted me with his wonderful bright smile.

I am joined once again by Mr Newton Faulkner...

Hello! Are you looking forward to tonight?
Yeah of course. It's been a really great Tour. I'm grateful.

Where have you been so far? All over the place?
Yeah its actually the most logically routed tour. Not that just I've just done but everybody involved has come across in the history of touring. It actually started in Inverness, and then slowly made its way kind of home, which never happens. Its followed a logical route which is crap for getting a good nights sleep as you sleep while the bus is moving. I was tempted to ask the driver just to find a big roundabout.

So obviously. Fantastic year for you. Number 1 album, how does that feel?
Amazing. It was a real triumph of social networking. And just the fan base because I'm really lucky with the fan base that I've got because they don't appear to be going anywhere. They just are relentless. They are awesome.

The album is amazing...
Thank you. I was pleased.

How does it feel now being able to tour it in its entirety because obviously earlier in the year before it was released you were doing a vast mistake of material.
Yeah I was just seeing how it went down as well and it was useful as I watch back YouTube footage and change arrangements and I feel free to mess around.

It must be quite nice to change it around a little bit and see what works and what doesn't. So, I've seen you four times this year..
Jesus Christ... actually lots of people have seen me a lot. It makes me think how many gigs I have done...

I saw you at Cornbury, V and at the start of the year on your mini Tour in April I think it was...
Was that tiny tiny one? That was fun.

Has Touring changed much over the year?
It's definitely solidified all the new stuff which is really working now. Sometimes its quite hard to find arrangements for stuff... because its one of my challenges, to make a very full set on my own. Its intense... its hard work.

Is there anything new about tonight's show that you may not have done previously?
It's a completely different set list. And I've been chucking in lots of random songs. I've been properly taking requests on this tour which is quite interesting. Also, people request things which havent even been released purely from listening and watching on Youtube and spotify. Spotify, you can find things there that never even came out.

Any ideas about a next album?
I don't think it will be that long... I think the life span of albums seems to have gone down. I think the whole industry has changed dramatically, even over the last year. Let alone since I started.

You've obviously been working on new material. How's that going?
Still going. Theres loads of plans for what we can do. I'd like to get another single off this album though because I think there's more singles on there. But yeah, it really is challenging.

What is your favourite song off the new album to play?
To play... I really like 'Sugar in the Snow'. Its an interesting one as well because I wanted an extra sonic element which did something we never thought before which was .. I play with these giant organ bass pedals which I play with my feet. Well I play with one foot now as I use to play it with two but got banned from sitting down during gigs... shit happens. I wanted chords so we programmed chords, and we have melotronic flute chords and we play it like a giant keyboard and it just sounds so nice and it's a really nice point in the set where its slightly different. But 'Soon' is catching up..

'Soon' is a good one..
'Soon' is a f**king nightmare. I've made it insanely hard to play.

Sometimes though there is no point in playing a song because its easy. You need to challenge yourself. I see that you've become a Dad for the first time. How is that going?
Oh its amazing!

Has it changed how you approach music in any way at all?
I think its definitely changed the life span of the pieces of music because before it just ended when I did and also I know the reason why things ended up the reason they did and I know all the backstories and it kind of justified everything..up to that point. And obviously, he's going to have to live with everything that I've ever done for the rest of his life. So I think I was considerably harder to work with but I think it paid off that I made everything as good as it could possibly be rather than just settling.

You have that..not necessarily pressure but that..
Extra drive.

Of course. Does it get harder being on tour now and being away from him?
I miss him like crazy but its made easier by technology. Skype, Facetime, its brilliant. I have one of his toy cars that I've brought with me. I can play with him via the screen. He got slightly annoyed the other day and he wanted it and was grabbing towards the screen but I was like "you can't have it.. I'm in Birmingham!" He usually comes out a few times. We've been foiled by really unusual things like Ikea deliveries and stuff that we are trying to move but can only move it until next year.

Best of luck for tonight. I'm sure it will be fantastic... fourth time. I have a lot of expectations!
Is there anything in particular you need? I'm doing 'Soon.'

I adore Longshot. It's one of my favourites.
Longshot is definitely in the set.

And I love 'I Took It Out On You'
I've just put that back on the set list actually!